Oneida County hosting events for breast cancer awareness

UTICA — Oneida County is taking part in a number of events throughout October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The goal is to educate employees, as well as raise money and encourage people to get screenings, according to a news release from Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr.

“Oneida County has continually made it a priority to proactively raise breast cancer awareness by engaging with our employees and the public through various educational efforts and events,” Picente said. “Many of us have had our lives impacted by this disease in some way and know that preventative measures and early detection are big keys to winning the fight.”

There will be educational sessions and newsletters from the county Health Department’s cancer services program for employees and the public on breast cancer detection and prevention.

Hundreds of pink ribbons are being displayed in the windows of the Oneida County Office Building on Park Avenue and the outside of the building will be lit pink for the entire month.

Full-time employees of Oneida County are allotted eight hours of paid leave per year to get screened for cancer and, in some cases, those without health insurance can have a screening paid for by the county’s cancer services program, the release said. That program has helped provide 65 clinical breast exams and 77 screening mammograms to women without insurance thus far in 2017, it said.

Five of these women were diagnosed with breast cancer and are receiving treatment under a specialized Medicaid program for people diagnosed with breast, cervical, colorectal or prostate cancer, the release said.

“These five women may not have gone for a mammogram if it weren’t for the Oneida County Health Department’s Cancer Services Program, as they were uninsured,” said Oneida County Director of Health Phyllis Ellis. “Our program has a very important role in the New York state initiative to make breast cancer screening more accessible. It helps uninsured women get screened and then gets them the care and services they need.”

Here’s a list of other events the county is hosting throughout the month:

Friday: Breast cancer education provided by the Oneida County Cancers Services program to employees in the lunchroom of the County Office Building. Breast cancer education at the Clinton Manor Apartments in Clinton.

Oct. 19: Paycheck stuffer with information on breast cancer and paid time off for cancer screenings.

Oct. 20: Employee dress down day in support of the county executive’s Real Men Wear Pink fundraising campaign for the American Cancer Society.